Elliot Lockington

GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT - Reform Canada’s procurement system to support investment and ensure a competitive business environment. GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT - Ensuring fair and open procurement practices to drive innovation and technology adoption in Canada. HOUSING - Advocate for policies and legislation that enable the creation of more housing supply, incentivize investment in residential construction and housing – enabling infrastructure, and support the development of skilled labour we need, whether domestically or through immigration, to restore housing affordability to Canadian families. TAXATION AND FINANCE – With regard to the measurement and improvement of Canada’s tax competitiveness, including: reforming the taxation, remittance, filing and audit processes of Canadian businesses and tax policy which improves the competitiveness of the Canadian business environment INTERNATIONAL TRADE – With respect to issues relating to trade controls, including tariffs, import and export controls, sanctions, and trade remedies. INDUSTRY - Improving the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) tax credit program to drive innovation; increase the role that the federal government plays in creating opportunities for small and medium sized businesses to digitalize and conduct more business activities online; developing a digital economy strategy for Canada. HEALTH – Ensuring we improve access to necessary medicines by building on rather than displacing the important role of private insurers and respecting provincial and territorial jurisdiction. CYBER SECURITY - Encouraging the government to prioritize cybersecurity innovation, talent development, and critical infrastructure resilience; modernize research and development; accelerate commercialization in the space; support the secure digitalization of small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); and improve the global competitiveness of Canada’s cybersecurity industry. IMMIGRATION - Reducing regulatory burdens for employers; promoting immigration to small, rural and northern communities; supporting regional and local community immigration strategies; maintaining and modernizing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program; Facilitating pathways to permanent residency for temporary residents (international students and TFWs; expediting and simplifying foreign credential recognition, calling for an international student and global talent strategy; improving language training as well as settlement and employment supports to newcomers, aligning immigration programs with labour market needs, improving the Start-Up Visa process, improving client services to potential immigrants and newcomers. EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING – National Workforce Strategy, programs that support small and medium sized enterprises, improving collection and dissemination of Labour Market Information, establishing the Employment Insurance Council to institutionalize social dialogue between workers and employers on issues related to employment and training needs, addressing barriers to labour mobility, improving effectiveness of employment supports and skills training. EDUCATION - Aligning employer and workforce needs with education and training; expanding skilling, upskilling, reskilling and work integrated learning opportunities. INFRASTRUCTURE – Improvement of Canada’s infrastructure through the National Infrastructure Assessment, National Supply Chains Strategy, and establishment of a Canada Trade Infrastructure Plan. TRANSPORTATION - Regarding the consistent funding of trade-enabling infrastructure projects; the development of a competitive and efficient transportation network including all modes of transportation; the fluidity and stability of supply chain operations, minimizing disruptions. LABOUR - Ensuring that any changes to the Canada Labour Code are implemented in response to defined and demonstrated issues and not to increase regulatory burdens for employers; minimizing labour disruption impacts on Canadian bus

CFIB supports the principle behind the Canada Jobs Grant but encourages flexibility in its implementation and consideration of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs)' needs. For example, introducing a permanent refundable tax credits for co-op and internship hires and reducing red tape from programs like Canada Summer Jobs to make it easier for small businesses to continue hiring youth. Advocating on behalf of small and medium-sized businesses to facilitate trade between Canada and other countries (CAN-US tariffs, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, Chinese tariffs). Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) shares its suggestions for Budget 2026 focusing on: reducing the small business tax rate from 9% to 6% and increasing the small business deduction (SBD) threshold to $700,000 and index it to inflation going forward. Canada is experiencing an “entrepreneurial drought”: a sustained period where business closures consistently outpace new business starts, leading to a shrinking entrepreneurial base and declining confidence in entrepreneurship. CFIB recommends that reversing this trend should be treated as a national economic priority. Sharing small businesses' views on Labour Code changes, impact on small businesses and the need to ensure the fluidity of the supply chain. Sharing survey results on improving CFIA customer service to encourage the review of their operations to better meet the needs of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) - reducing red tape and facilitating food mobility within Canada. Sharing data information and recommendations related to the state of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) overall and for specific sectors which could also include provincial data. Promoting reforms to the Competition Act that will ensure small businesses have an equitable opportunity to compete in today’s economy, especially as small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) have noted an increase in large corporate giants within Canada. Shipping costs pose a significant barrier for small business, as such we continue to advocate for favourable shipping rates with carriers (including the cost of shipping along with better service levels and addressing the work stoppage at Canada Post). Presenting the views of small business owners based on our survey data to the Canada Revenue Agency to share ways of improving customer service interactions with small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and suggest ways to ease the tax burden on small business owners as well as increase accountability within the agency. CFIB continues to monitor the effects of the Consumer Product Safety Act on small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) and other issues raised related to the mandate of Health Canada. We also continue to monitor customer service interactions between our members and Health Canada. Any issues are raised with officials. CFIB advocates for simplification to the federal procurement process on behalf of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). Lobbying to reduce Red Tape by focusing on removing interprovincial trade barriers, facilitating labour mobility and improving government customer service. This includes providing input for the consultations on the Annual Regulatory Modernization Bill. Goods and Services Tax/ Harmonized Sales Tax Administration with regards to Transitional Rules, Out of Province Sales Rules, Point-of-Sale Rebate, and fillings. Retirement Income Policies, and proposed Canada Pension Plan increases. CFIB is against mandatory increases in Canada Pension Plan, and has provided alternative approaches. CFIB has also shared recommendations to reduce disincentives to work for older workers. Presenting the views of small business owners on infrastructure spending through member survey results, mandate votes and other CFIB research. Offering funding solutions and alternatives to government proposals on transit and infrastructure expansion. Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

Advocate for the federal government’s role in maintaining and improving strong public services including dealing with concerns regarding ongoing job pressures that the public service is facing across a wide range of sectors including health care, emergency services, education, early learning and child care, municipalities, social services, libraries, utilities, transportation, airlines.

Lobbying for the preservation of affordable rental housing Lobbying for the development of new affordable housing, including co-operative housing. Lobbying to ensure that low-income households can continue to live affordably in federally-administered housing co-operatives after their operating agreements end with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Lobbying for renewed low-income subsidies for federal indigenous co-operatives. Lobbying for new low-income subsidies for federal co-ops (including Section 95 program co-op housing). Lobbying for government to examine the consequences of the steady erosion of rent-geared-to-income (RGI) capacity for low-income households in existing federally administered housing providers, including co-operatives. Lobbying for energy retrofit programs for co-op housing. Lobbying around the elimination of homelessness in Canada.

Engaging on proposed amendments to Bill C-27 An Act to enact the Consumer Privacy Protection Act, the Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal Act and the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts Engage with the federal government on the creation of policies and regulations around consumer-directed finance as led by the Advisory Committee on Open-Banking. Engage with government on the creation of policies or legislation on privacy protection.

Communicating with government officials about procurement policies, procedures and processes, including proposals to modernize and streamline the federal government’s procurement policies, procedures and processes. Communicating with government officials about trade between Canada and the United States, including as it relates to the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), formerly known as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), more specifically about trade in the science and technology sector, in the information technology sector and in the information services sector. Communicating with government officials, in general, about digital sovereignty. Communicating with government officials about artificial intelligence ("AI"), including about (i) the potential adoption and deployment of AI by the federal government and (ii) the development, implementation and amendment of AI policies, guidelines and regulations. Communicating with government officials about semi-conductors, including the development of the semi-conductor industry in Canada. Communicating with government officials about quantum, more specifically quantum-safe encryption standards and capabilities, including as it pertains to Canada's National Defence Policy. Communicating with government officials about the Digital Charter Implementation Act, 2022 (formerly Bill C-27), more specifically those provisions that apply to data protection. Communicating with government officials about Budget 2025-26, more specifically about (i) strategic investments that will result in administrative savings, (ii) strategic investments in innovation-related initiatives, and (iii) strategic investments in strengthening supply chains. Communicating with government officials about the Critical Cyber Systems Protection Act (formerly Bill C-26), more specifically about the proposed amendments applying to cybersecurity. Communicating with government officials about its proposed Federal Plastics Registry, more specifically its impact on the information and technology sectors. Communicating with government officials about the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations (SOR/2022-138) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, more specifically its impact on the information and technology sectors. Communicating with government officials about the Strategic Innovation Fund ("SIF"), more specifically funding for innovation. Communicating with government officials about the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, more specifically retaining technology neutrality. Communicating with government officials about the Industrial Regional Benefits Program, more specifically ensuring that IBM’s products and services are eligible under the program. Communicating with government officials about the federal task force (that was recently announced by the Prime Minister of Canada) that will review service delivery, identify gaps and areas for improvement, and make recommendations to ensure Canadians from coast to coast to coast receive the highest quality of service. Communicating with government officials about temporary foreign workers (“TFWs”), more specifically about policies and programs related to: (i) the entry of TFWs, (ii) intra-company transfers of TFWs, (iii) prevailing wages, and (iv) the establishment of a trusted employers system for TFWs. Communicating with government officials about solutions to help facilitate the digitization of government services and agencies. Communicating with government officials about its “Policy on Management of Information Technology”, more specifically about using and increasing investment in innovative technologies such as Cloud computing and software analytics. Communicating with government officials about international trade agreements, including the federal government’s proposed model digital trade agreement, on matters related to the information technology sector, including data governance. Communicating with governm